Community Input:
The community input process is ongoing and seeks to involve organizations and individuals on local watershed and water resources issues. Your input and comments are valued and needed. Monthly updates are presented at the City and County of Honolulu Koolau Loa Neighborhood Board No. 28.
How to provide input on the Koolau Loa Watershed Management Plan:
Email us at KLWMP@group70int.com or call us at 523-5866 x. 148.
Attend a "Working Group" meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 9th at the Hauula Civic Center (54-010 Kukuna Road) from 6 to 7 p.m. before the Neighborhood Board Meeting.
Click here to view notes and highlights from previous community meetings as well as information about upcoming meetings and events.
CRITICAL VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
This summarized list of values was developed through interviews with community members and through community association meetings.
1. Sustaining Rural Lifestyle of Koolau Loa
- Ohana-centered, rural open space, limited growth
2. Cultural and Traditional Water Uses
- Watershed places, access, plants, stream water taro, fish
3. Natural Resources & Watershed Ecology (holistic view)
- Stream Waters, Biota, Riparian Habitat, Shoreline, Ocean
4. Healthy and Plentiful Water Supply for Community (waiwai)
- Source protection, limit future inter-district transfers
5. Preserving Agricultural Uses and Water Supply
- Allocation for farming uses, future growth in agriculture
6. Watershed Management Responsibilities
- Kuleana, access, community stewards
STAKEHOLDER ISSUES
This summarized list of issues was developed through interviews with members of the community and through community association meetings.
1. Relationship of Watershed Plan to Koolau Loa Land Use
Landowners and individuals in the community wish to better understand how the Koolau Loa Watershed Management Plan could relate to future land use in Koolau Loa and the Sustainable Communities Plan. The WMP and SCP should be consistent.
2. Traditional and Cultural Water Uses
Traditional and cultural water uses in Koolau Loa relate to surface waters flowing through individual watersheds. There is interest to continue existing cultural water use practices, such as taro loi fed by surface diversion water source. There is also interest in expanding the understanding of past cultural water uses in Koolau Loa and, in some cases, restoring some of these former water uses.
3. Koolau Loa Ground Water Quantities and Yield Potential
How much water is there? How much could be tapped without affecting water quality and stream flows? Aquifer capacity information is essential in the evaluation of potential sustainable yield by the BWS wells and other groundwater users in the region.
4. Policy Effects on Private Lands, Water Sources and Systems
The major land owners in Koolau Loa have noted concerns about the potential effects and benefits of the Watershed Management Plan upon private interests, specifically future water and land use. One objective of this plan is to assist land owners in providing sound management of the area water resources.
5. Water Uses and Allocation
Water supply in Koolau Loa is generally plentiful, and water availability is not a limiting factor for the demand generated locally. There are concerns, however, about costs and the potential for restrictions or limits arising from this plan, which could affect domestic, commercial, and agricultural water users. The objective of the WMP is to incorporate all existing uses and future plans into a comprehensive document that will protect and conserve the resource, while planning for existing and future water uses and allocations (consistent with SCP).
6. Punaluu Watershed Alliance Model
The Punaluu Community Association has worked towards the establishment of a Punaluu Watershed Alliance to set the in stream flow standard for Punaluu Stream, address on-going and future use of surface water and groundwater, and watershed management for Punaluu. The Alliance includes the major landowners, Kamehameha Schools, the Punaluu Community Association, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, the US Geological Service, and the State Commission on Water Resource Management. The group meets monthly to address current projects and issues. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being created to address the responsibilities of the various parties. Punaluu can be considered a model for future studies in Koolau Loa.
7. In-Stream Flow Standards, Species and Protected Habitat
The larger watersheds in Koolau Loa contain perennial streams, and there are 12 perennial streams. The native species habitat exists in the perenniel streams of Koolau Loa. Habitat quality for the native species, such as oopu, opae and hihiwai, is greatly affected by the stream flows. The State CWRM must adopt an in-stream flow standard for perennial streams in Koolau Loa.
8. Flooding Issues In Koolau Loa Watersheds
Flooding is a major community issue in Koolau Loa, and the community and landowners would like to know how this Plan relates to watershed flooding concerns. The BWS watershed management plan can serve in aiding this community need, by documenting those watersheds with recognized flooding problems and identifying planned flood control projects. The effect of these projects on stream habitat is a concern.
9. Kahuku Training Area - Stryker Brigade
In relation to the Kahuku region upper watershed areas, there is a community concern that the activities within the US Army's Kahuku Training Area may affect the natural watershed properties. Vehicle activities and road grading/maintenance within the training area disrupt soils and vegetation, potentially leading to erosion and silt runoff. Further, the use of any chemicals relating to soldier training could pose a potential for leaching to groundwater.
10. Polluted Runoff Control and Ocean Protection
There are ongoing concerns about the effect of stream runoff on ocean water quality. This very rural coastline hosts only a few concentrations of urban development, which contribute only a relatively small part of water pollution from a regional perspective. Agricultural areas in the Kawela, Kahuku, Malaekahana and Punaluu areas may also contribute small amounts of agricultural chemical constituents into runoff. Clearly the largest potential effect to ocean water quality is from the large undeveloped natural watershed areas of Koolau Loa, including debris and eroded soil in runoff. The effects of human activities in the watersheds have, in some instances, increased the rate of soil erosion and discharge volume to the ocean.
11. Policy Limits on Future Source Development in Koolau Loa
Concerns about the potential BWS development of new sources in the undeveloped sources in the region. Plans for existing test wells and older agricultural wells in these areas, if any, will be identified in this plan. The point made by stakeholders is that certain areas of Koolau Loa may not need to be developed to serve the future water needs of the area. The water resources in these areas could be preserved for the future generations as is.
12. Forestry Management
The Koolau Mountain Watershed Partnership is the principle entity for forestry management in Koolau Loa and Koolau Poko, and the mauka sections of watersheds along this ridge. Combining all the major Koolau landowners (those with over 100 acres) in the State Forest Reserve, this organization seeks to protect and preserve the natural water resources along the Koolau Mountains. Much of the focus is centered on invasive species control.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
| GROUP 70 INTERNATIONAL | HONOLULU BOARD OF WATER SUPPLY  Contact: Barry Usagawa Phone: 748-5900 Email: busagawa@hbws.org |
Contact: Jeff Overton 
630 S. Beretania St. • Honolulu, HI 96843 • ContactUs@hbws.org
© Copyright 2004 Board of Water Supply, City & County of Honolulu